EH Buyer’s Scorecard: Klipsch LightSpeakers

A closer look at this in-ceiling speaker/light combo, from in-house and around the web.

It’s nice when your electronics multitask. Of course, cell phones can play music and some newer TVs add in web content. However, some combinations are not as obvious. There’s the guitar T-shirt that can play actual music, the radio toaster, and the now-discontinued LCD TV refrigerator. However, one of our favorite underappreciated combinations is the speaker that doubles as lighting.

We have seen a few different floor-standing speakers that also emit sound. However, Klipsch’s LightSpeaker take this concept to the next level — the upper level.

Designed for ceiling installs, Klipsch’s LightSpeaker combines a 10-watt LED light and a built-in wireless speaker inside a fixture similar to a 5- or 6-inch recessed can. That fixture also packs in a 20-watt amplifier and boasts an installation that as easy as screwing in a light bulb. Maybe because that is the gist of the entire installation. Well, you also have to attach the included transmitter to an iPod, PC or other audio source.

What the Manufacturer Says

Enjoying music throughout your home has never been easier—or more enlightening. Winner of a 2010 CES Innovations Award, the Klipsch LightSpeaker is the first product to combine efficient LED lighting and wireless ambient sound into a single unit that installs like a light bulb.

The LightSpeaker, which comes complete with a dimmable LED bulb and full-range speaker, fits 5- and 6-inch recessed light fixtures with a standard Edison socket. Upcoming accessories will allow the LightSpeaker to accommodate hanging light fixtures as well as floor and table lamps.Visit the Klipsch Website to Learn More About Klipsch LightSpeakers

Reviews and Ratings from Around the Web

Klipsch LightSpeakers

LED light/wireless speaker combo

Transmits to up to two zones

Eliminates wire clutter

Rated at 40,000 hours

Lacks bass

$600 per pair

Maximum PC
“The 25-watt digital amps and the speakers aren’t remotely audiophile quality—the system crossed over into the land of distortion when we pushed it too hard—but it easily filled our 14-by-28-foot master bedroom. The speakers are perfectly acceptable for atmospheric audio and casual listening, though; they produce reasonably crisp and well-defined highs, but they lack the deep bass response you need to feel a groove in your bones.”Read the Full Review

PCMag.com4 out of 5 stars
“For a small party, they are perfect, and for anyone who doesn’t demand audiophile level performance but would still like some power and definition from their speakers, the LightSpeakers will not disappoint.”Read the Full Review

Wired
“Sound quality is about what you’d expect from a 2.5-inch cone with a 20-watt amplifier: In other words, decent, but not gut-thumping.”Read the Full Review

What Electronic House Says

After a while, speakers start to look the same. Sadly, they don’t all sound the same. We can certainly appreciate Klipsch putting sound into such a unique product. However,the LightSpeaker just won’t work as your main method of music. That said, if you have a smaller space, such as the kitchen, hallway, dining room, or other areas in need of a little background noise (and a lighting boost), this is certainly a decent solution.

What is Electronic House Buyers Scorecard?

Rather than bring our users a single opinion on a product or service, our EH Buyers Scorecard combines what the manufacturer has to say about their product with real ratings and reviews from other websites, along with our own opinions and knowledge of the product to derive a wider lens recommendation that can help you in making a purchase decision.